Skip to content Our Commitment to You
Welcome, and thank you for placing your trust in Essential Skills Software Inc. (“Essential Skills,” “Our Company,” “we,” “our”). Protecting your privacy and securing your data are at the heart of everything we do. This Privacy Policy is part of our Terms of Service and provides a clear overview of how we collect, use, share, and safeguard the information you entrust to us. By accessing our services, you acknowledge and agree to the practices outlined in this policy.
At Essential Skills, we believe that protecting student data is as critical as delivering high-quality education. That’s why we have successfully completed the rigorous NYC DOE Data Privacy and Security Compliance Process, including a comprehensive cloud review conducted by IBM. Serving over 995,000 students across 1,800 schools, the The NYC DOE is the largest school district in North America—and possibly the world. If we can meet their security requirements, we’re confident in our ability to handle the security needs of your school or district as well.
Essential Skills is proud to be a signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge, reaffirming our unwavering commitment to safeguarding student privacy and upholding the highest standards of data protection. We fully comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the California Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA), and other state and federal data protection laws. With Essential Skills, you can trust that your data is managed with the utmost care, confidentiality, and integrity.
Information Collection
- Student Data: The only personal information collected for students is their name (not necessarily their full legal name). This limited data ensures we can maintain records while protecting privacy.
- School, Teacher, and Administrator Information: We collect names, email addresses, and school information to process orders, set up user accounts, and maintain contact.
- Cookies: We use cookies to improve functionality, such as recognizing your device after login or saving preferences. Users can manage cookie settings in their browser’s “Help” section, but disabling cookies may affect some features.
- Technologically Sourced Information: Information like IP addresses, device identifiers, browser types, and usage patterns is collected for service enhancement and security purposes. This data is shared willingly by your browser and device.
How We Use the Information
- Customize services, such as saving preferences and improving user experience.
- Monitor performance and usage trends to enhance service functionality.
- Comply with legal requirements and educational standards.
We may use email addresses to send promotional materials relevant to our services. Users can opt out using the provided links in these emails.
Purpose of Data Collection and Use
- Educational Purposes Only: Data is used exclusively for supporting educational activities, in line with FERPA, SOPIPA, and SOPPA regulations.
- No Targeted Marketing or Advertising: We do not use, sell or share student data for non-educational purposes, including marketing or advertising.
Data from Minors
- Student accounts are created and managed by authorized teachers or administrators. Students cannot independently create accounts, make purchases, or use the service unsupervised.
- Parents may contact us at support@essentialskills.com to request information about their child. Verification of parental identity is required before disclosing data.
Data Security and Protection
- Encryption: We use robust encryption methods, such as AES-256, to protect data in transit and at rest.
- Hosting: All data is securely hosted on AWS, which complies with strict privacy and security standards (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001).
- Breach Notification: In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected schools and parents promptly, following applicable laws.
Data Sharing and Retention
- No Third-Party Educational Partners: We do not share data with unauthorized third parties.
- Data Retention: Data is retained only as long as necessary for educational purposes and is securely deleted upon account termination or inactivity.
- Deletion Requests: Schools or parents can request data deletion by contacting us at support@essentialskills.com.
Changes in Ownership
If Essential Skills is acquired by or merges with another company, your data may be transferred to the new entity as part of the transaction. The new entity will be required to adhere to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy unless you are notified and explicitly agree to a revised policy. We will inform you of any such changes and provide you with options to manage your data.
Compliance with Privacy Laws
- FERPA: We protect student educational records as required by FERPA.
- COPPA: We adhere to COPPA standards for children under 13, obtaining parental consent via schools.
- SOPPA and SOPIPA: We comply with these acts to protect student data in Illinois and California, respectively.
- CCPA: We provide California residents with rights to access, delete, or opt out of data collection.
- PIPEDA: We comply with Canadian privacy standards as outlined in PIPEDA.
Transparency and Updates
Version History: This Privacy Policy was last updated on December 12, 2024.
Policy Changes: Significant updates will be communicated via email or platform notifications.
Glossary:
Cookies: Small data files stored on your device to enhance functionality.
Encryption: A method of securing data by converting it into an unreadable format.
FERPA, COPPA, SOPIPA, SOPPA, CCPA, PIPEDA: Privacy laws governing data protection.